Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have received their invitation to King Charles III’s coronation — but whether they’ll head to the United Kingdom for the May 6 crowning ceremony is still unclear.
According to People, a US-based media company, a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said in a statement this weekend, “I can confirm The Duke has recently received email correspondence from His Majesty’s office regarding the coronation. An immediate decision on whether The Duke and Duchess will attend will not be disclosed by us at this time.” Buckingham Palace has not made any official comment about it so far.
Relations between the Sussexes, who relocated to Meghan’s home state of California in 2020, and the royal family have remained strained after Prince Harry’s memoir released this January.
In an interview with ITV’s Tom Bradby surrounding the book, Harry said of the coronation, “There’s a lot that can happen between now and then. But, you know, the door is always open. The ball is in their court. There’s a lot to be discussed, and I really hope that they are willing to sit down and talk about it.”
King Charles, 74, was said to be eager for the situation “calm down” in time for his coronation.
As reported by People, a source close to the royal household revealed: “It is such a momentous occasion for Charles, and he would want his son to be at the coronation to witness it. He would like to have Harry back in the family. If they don’t sort it out, it will always be part of the King’s reign and how he has left his family disjointed. He has had a reputation as a distant parent, and it would be awful for him for that to continue.”
The news of Meghan and Harry receiving an invitation to the coronation comes just days after a spokesperson for the couple’s Archewell Foundation confirmed that they have been asked to leave their UK home.
“We can confirm The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been requested to vacate their residence at Frogmore Cottage,” the spokesperson said.
Royal historian Robert Lacey pointed out that despite tensions, the family has been able to unite before.
“There have been some very grave disagreements between them,” Lacey recently said. “But the Platinum Jubilee and the funerals of the Queen and Prince Philip did demonstrate that they could put personal enmity aside for the sake of the bigger cause. And that is what the coronation will be all about.”